Transcending Bonds of Time
by Fujisaki Nadeshiko
Summary: Semi AU. Tsuna has never had a 'father-figure' to look up to as a child; Iemitsu was gone too often to even be considered as one. Left bitter & with constantly reopened wounds, he realizes what he wants-but he never thought he'd actually get it, and certainly not in the way he did. First/Tenth Gen. parent/child relationships.
1. Prologue

F. Nadeshiko: Hello and welcome :) Just to make things clear, this is a time travel fic but not the kind you'd expect where Tsuna & the others go back in time, help Primo, and get back to the future; no, this story, dare I say, focuses more on familial relationships and such bonds meaning no yaoi.

Also, this is Semi-Alternate universe; if you've been keeping up with the manga and the development of Arcobaleno Curse Arc, sadly that won't be in the story as my plot doesn't have any space for it :( but not to worry, Reborn will make an appearance and there will be some action.

Anyways, to get a better understanding of the story, if you'd like, read the Arcobaleno Curse Arc where it reveals how Tsuna somewhat hates his dad because he wasn't really there for him and Nana as that has a very important key concept to the whole plot.

Anyways, thanks and happy reading!

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><p>Tsunayoshi Sawada, by all means, was not a normal teenager; which, if one deduced, meant that he had not been a normal child. Yet, if one wanted to find out more about the 10th Vongola Boss's childhood, they would find not one thing out of place- except for a few exceptions:<p>

One being his helplessness and incapability, and another being the fact that he was always the victim of your common bullies; _always_. Even more so than the usual dosage one would have as a result of growing up.

But the most conspicuous exception to Tsunayoshi Sawada's childhood was the absence of his father, Iemitsu Sawada. People always wondered as to why the brunette never had a father figure in his life, and it didn't help satiate their curiosity whenever they asked his mother, Nana Sawada, a woman many would describe as 'The Perfect Wife'.

"_Oh, Iemitsu is always off on grand adventures, saving the world and doing things as such; that's why he's never home," _was always the woman's reply whenever people asked. Of course, they never took her seriously but that never meant that they didn't want to know more about this mysterious 'Iemitsu', heroic husband and absentee father.

It wasn't until one night that Mitsuki Mashiro, neighbor to the Sawada family as well as one of the town's most infamous gossipers, reported seeing a tall blonde man visit her neighbors in the middle of the night; that piece of news had sent almost the whole town into a frenzy of speculations as to who this man was.

It wasn't until Nana had confirmed that the blonde man was none other than her husband, as well as the father of Tsunayoshi Sawada, Iemitsu Sawada, did the town finally calm down. Of course, the town's unquenchable curiosity remained, but it had settled down over the years, and soon became lost in the storm of gossip that only a small town like Namimori could possess.

Still, such events were a part of Tsuna's childhood, strange but still there as it always would be. Sadly for the brunette, the whole incident gave his tormentors another reason to bully him, resulting in a constantly victimized life as the brunette grew up.

The rumors, the exclusion, the bullying; Tsuna found things to be easier to blame everything that happened to him on his father, after all if the man had at least tried to make an effort to visit his family, maybe he wouldn't have had such a hard time in school, or anywhere else for that matter.

His father's absence was also the reason why he currently lay on the ground in his school's lot, bruised, beaten, and most of all, bitter.

The brunette laid there, arms and legs stretched out on the sandy, hard ground, his head pounding slightly, as a result of the bullies' inflictions on his face as well as other various parts of his body. Above him, the sun began to set, turning the sky a myriad of purples and blue, its rays bouncing off the clouds which lazily drifted off onto the horizon.

'_Oh, the irony,' _he mused silently, the sunset's reflection gleaming dimly in his sepia brown eyes.

'_The sky, free to do as it pleases, never really chained down, yet here I am, trapped in the mercy of others because of my damn father,' _Tsuna frowned, scorn welling up inside him. It wasn't just his father's fault, he knew; some of it lied with him and his reluctance to stand up for himself- when it came to standing up for others, he'd be the first one on his feet to defend them.

So why? Why couldn't he do the same for himself? It was a question the brunette always thought of but could never answer. It was frustrating to say the least-

Suddenly, cold air hit his skin. Tsuna blinked; before he had realized it, night had crept upon him, silent as a butterfly's wing beat, while he was lost in his thoughts, the blanket of twinkling diamonds above greeting him.

'I better get home,' Quietly, Tsuna got up, pain shooting throughout his body as he did so, a grimace appearing on his face. He closed his eyes, concentrating on easing the agony, and with a shaky breath, he took a step forward, wincing as another shot of pain burst inside him, this time around his ankles and feet.

Trembling ever so slightly, the brunette limped his way home, his heart becoming heavier and heavier with each aching step.

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><p>~-(<em>Armonia del Cielo<em>)-~

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><p>As luck would have it, Tsuna found out, after finally arriving home- only to be fussed over profusely by Nana- that Reborn had left Japan earlier that evening, upon receiving a call from the Ninth who had yet, revealed his purposes for calling the Sun Arcobaleno.<p>

Normally, Tsuna would be celebrating as it meant an evening without late night studying or other activity without the ever-so helpful presence of ten-ton hammer that awaited him; this time however, the brunette felt, in a lack of better terms… empty. And tired.

Yes, as he burrowed himself underneath the blanket of his bed, Tsuna realized just how tired he was. The pain within him had settled into a dull ache and any cuts or bruises he had were cleaned and patched up with the help of Bianchi who fortunately, didn't inquire as to how he got the injuries.

'_Probably, because she already knows,'_ Tsuna thought. He didn't lnow what to do, or what he even wanted for that matter; all he knew was that everything that happened to him-the bullying, the mafia, his friends- was all connected to his father, in one way or another but never directly-

It was then, that Tsuna realized what he wanted-_what he had needed_- all along.

Silence reigned, shadows creeping at every corner of his room, the only source of light at the edge of the bed where the moon cast its beams upon. Strangely enough, it comforted him, giving Tsuna an assuring feeling that he could rest without being disturbed.

'_Doubt it,' _though for the first time in what seemed like a long time, an ominous tranquility settled itself within him, and the weight that the brunette had carried for so long slowly disappeared.

And just as Tsuna's eyes began to close, a strange, gentle smile made itself present on his bandaged face, the pain in his body turning into a lazy ache, serenity clouding his senses.

_"I want a father."_

_At last. Peace. _

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><p>No, Tsuna is not dead and yes, the weird peaceful ending is part of the plot. How fast I update depends on feedback meaning <span>reviews. <span>

Please, please review and tell me what you think of the story, I at least want 4…? Yes, I know, I'm a greedy elf -_-'

No seriously, though review because I've deleted stories that didn't get enough feedback, and I'd hate for something like that to happen to this one.

Anyways, thanks and Ciao~!


	2. Chapter 1: Dream

Fujisaki N.- Happy Belated Valentine's Day!~ first of all: an immense thank you to all those who subscribed, favorited, and reviewed:

**Kanrei, Sweet-With-Talent, Bleach-ed-Na-tsu, GirlinBlue2364, xxHinaAngelxx, yonet-chan, FanfictionLover, kagamine0410, Tharrow, zxakuniruduni, KyuuCchan, souruchan, Twelfth Legion, PuroCieloFiamme, KarinMaaka07, xXxIRISxXx, DiamondGoddess, Bluelup28, The Neo Productions, xxxKimi-chan, SkyShaymin, MidnightMadness22, a mystery reviewer with no name, **and especially to FaithofTheFallen105- your review has helped with my writing and I understand the stupidity of my actions by holding my story for ransom and I promise I won't do it anymore and to Kate5413 who had graciously offered to translate my story into Chinese :D

Anyways, I hope you like this chapter; it begins with the gossiping lady I mentioned in the first chapter Mitsuki Mashiro- the story develops further…

_Disclaimer- I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or its characters._

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><p>Mitsuki Mashiro was old; there was no doubt about it. With her failing eyesight and impending loss of hearing, despite being only 57, she was anything but youthful. But impressively enough, she still managed to retain her position as Namimori's top gossiper; a fact she liked to bring up as much as possible.<p>

But even with her deteriorating vision, she could identify when something was strange as well as the next person.

And the Sawada family was doubtlessly strange. It wasn't that the patriarch of the household was usually gone or that strangers would be welcomed with open arms, or even that they let a _5 year old_ play with something strangely akin to grenades.

It was because there always seemed to be something happening there; whether men in black suits surrounded the place or mysterious explosions could be heard throughout the day, Nana Sawada's home was always bursting at the seams with hazardous excitement. Even more so than the usual dosage one needed- or wanted- in their lives.

Regardless, as Mitsuki Mashiro took a midnight stroll on her street, she passed the Sawada house where once again, something was happening. She paused, and squinted her eyes, her lips frowning in concentration.

Out of the top right window of the house, a blindingly bright light came from the room, casting a shadow of the plants directly beneath it. The 57 year old woman watched it, her eyes never leaving the mysterious light even as it gradually became dimmer and dimmer to the point it had disappeared completely.

Hm.

Strange.

And yet this was the Sawada Household; when were things there never strange?

With an unsatisfied grunt, Mitsuki Mashiro turned and continued her walk, a shudder passing through her body, wind tossing her formerly black hair over her shoulder.

But what the elderly woman didn't realize was that the unusual light that came from Nana Sawada's son's room that night would be connected to what would be one of Namimori's most scandalous stories: the disappearance of Tsunayoshi Sawada.

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><p>Tsuna was no stranger to nightmares; he's had so many of them, he lost count. Some dreams he can't even remember when he wakes up and yet others are frighteningly too vivid and accurate to forget. And at 15 years old, he's experienced every nightmare that one could possibly have from the boogie man under the bed to the mass murder of his family and friends.<p>

He's had them all; you name it, the chances are that the brunette's probably dreamed it. And yet, one would think that after going through so many horrifying events, asleep or not, you wouldn't be scared of anything.

While that may be true for other people, it certainly wasn't true for Tsuna. With each nightmare he had, he'd be plagued by paranoia and exhaustion the days following the dream; he'd be terrified.

Still, he was used to such unnerving visions.

This one was no different.

Yet, as he ran through the thick, dense shrubbery of the forest that lay in his path, he had to admit, that this nightmare felt strangely… real.

In every dream he had, he knew at once that they were dreams; nothing more, nothing less. But this time, Tsuna had the vague feeling that burning pain in his chest and the sweat trailing down his face wasn't just a chimera.

'_No. This is definitely a dream,' _he thought resolutely.

After all, running through the woods in his 6 year old body was not possible; especially since real life dictated that he had been 15 just before this dream had begun.

"_Prendetelo!"_ A deep voice roared in what could possibly be… Italian?

Cursing under his breath, Tsuna dove behind a thick bush, and crouched down low, his knees scraping against the forest floor. He took huge gulps of air, his lungs feeling as if they were on fire, his face turning an unruly combination of purple and red.

'_Dammit- I should've listened to Reborn and studied more Italian!'_ the brunette swore to himself, _'Well, at least I was in good enough shape to get away; the one time that baby's hellish training actually paid off.'_

"_Dove si trova?" _The deep voice returned, this time sounding much closer to Tsuna and much more lethal. Tsuna held his breath, praying that he wouldn't be seen; the crunch of twigs breaking underneath feet was now dangerously close in his ear.

His blood turned to ice, heart thumping wildly. _'How did I get in this mess again?'_ Tsuna silently whimpered, '_Oh right, I threw a rock at one of the guys' heads.' _

He honestly had meant the best of intentions; the men that had up until now been chasing him had been pushing a little girl around, and him being the 'kind idiot' (as Reborn would often call him) he was, threw a rock at one of the men's heads, thus attracting their attention, enraging them, and leading them to Tsuna's current predicament.

It wasn't until 3 minutes into the chase, that Tsuna realized he wasn't 15 and that he was actually in his 6 year old body. A fact which he berated himself again and again for, despite the knowledge that this was still a dream.

'_If Reborn was here, he'd toss me to those ruffians for being such an idiot,'_ the brunette thought glumly-

"_Ti ho preso!" _

Tsuna shrieked as his chaser seized him by the front of his shirt and shook him roughly, the man's coarse laughter echoing in Tsuna's ears.

His vision became blurry, only being able to distinguish the dark green tops of trees and the varied sizes of spots between the leaves where the blue sky was visible; he bit down on his lip to keep from screaming, only to tear it open, releasing a small acute burst of pain.

'_Please! Let me wake up!'_ he thought desperately.

Tsuna finally cried out as blood steadily dripped down his chin onto his shirt, the man's laughter only increasing at the sight of Tsuna's pain. Gritting his teeth, Tsuna grabbed the man's hand which held a tight grip on him, and bit down with as much force as possible.

The man howled in pain and instantly let go of Tsuna, clutching his injured hand.

Tsuna wasted no time; as soon as his body touched the ground, he bolted forward and away from the man, not stopping once until-

Something whizzed by his cheek.

Caught by surprise, he stumbled and fell on his face. He stayed on the ground knowing fully well that if he got up, he'd surely die from the barrage of bullets that had been heading towards him.

Trembling, Tsuna hesitantly placed his hands on his hand, flattening his body against the ground. Above him, he could hear the bullets fly and their targets' screams of pain.

Dust danced around him and Tsuna tasted the familiar metallic zest of blood in his mouth. The bullets continued flying through the air, the sickening thud of bodies collective as they hit the ground. Bile rose in Tsuna's throat but he forced it back down, and despite his body's cries of exhaustion, Tsuna rolled to the side and got up, immediately catching view of the shooters.

He turned and ran in the opposite direction only to trip over the body of the very same man who had moments before almost killed him. Pushing his body off the ground, Tsuna continued running, slowing down gradually as his body screamed for a rest.

'_No… I have to keep running…' _

But it was no use; the brunette wasn't even running anymore, instead he limped, his vision now useless as the only thing he could see, let alone make out were blurs of browns and greens; but he continued.

"_Scagliare Fulmine!"_

Something blunt, heavy, and hard hit the back of Tsuna's head, the momentum pushing Tsuna forward so quickly and with such force that his head collided with the rough bark of a tree.

Tsuna didn't move; he was done. He had no energy and his body was in unimaginable agony. Black danced at the corners of his eyes, and he could feel his body slump down until he hit the ground completely.

'_God… it hurts so much…'_

Tsuna breathed in short, shallow gasps of air only to choke on his own blood.

'_Help…'_

And the last thing the brunette saw before he willingly succumbed to the darkness's embrace was a pair of wide, shocked electric green eyes he knew that belonged to only 2 people.

'_This is… without a doubt… the worst… dream… I've ever… had…'_

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><p><strong><em>Italian Translations:<em>**

_Prendetelo- Get him_

_Dove si trova- Where is he_

_Ti ho preso- I've got you_

_Scagliare Fulmine- Lightning Hurl_

…_._Well, what do you think? There was a little bit of my lame attempt at action and humor.

Yes, this is a time travel fic and if you hadn't guessed it, Tsuna reverted to a 6 year old and is now in the past- but don't worry: it's all part of the plot ;) Feel free to take a guess at who Tsuna last saw before he blacked out~

Anyways, thank you again and review, criticize, etc! I need feedback as to how I can improve my writing.


	3. Chapter 2: Lost

F. Nadeshiko- This chapter is totally over-due so I will shut up and just get straight to the story; Sorry for the delay folks :/ FYI, warning; language is a little intense in this chapter and I get that Primo family lived 400 years ago but for the sake of things, let's just say that cars and indoor plumbing exists alright?

Disclaimer- In chapter 2

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><p><em>Oh.<em> _Shit._

Those were the two words that ran through Lampo's mind, over and over again in horrid repetition.

Numbness coursed within him, hitting him hard like a slap across the face. Pure and utter numbness. Combined with an underlying sense of shock and panic, he stood frozen, his gaze never leaving the small, bloody body that lay motionless at his feet.

Damn it.

_Damn it._

He knew something like this would happen-! He had warned Giotto but the blonde was adamant, choosing to ignore Lampo's protests, and instead place his utmost faith in him.

What would happen to all that faith now?

_'It'll disappear, that's what will happen,' _he inwardly whimpered, his hands beginning to tremble at his side, _'He-he'll take back my ring and-and find a new Lightning Guardian-'_

No. He could pity himself later. Now he had to focus on helping the boy.

_'If he's still alive that is.' _Lampo winced at the thought, panic beginning to course through him. _'No, concentrate!' _In a rare moment of courage, he forced his panic back down letting out a shaky breath, and calmed himself. Kneeling down, he gingerly picked up the boy's wrist, fingers clumsily searching for a pulse, just as he was taught by Knuckles.

There was no pulse.

Sheer panic filled him again, shooting up his body so fast, he hardly had time to restrain himself from screaming, instead choking back a cry of terror.

He dropped the boy's arm, and stumbled backwards, leaning on a tree for support, horror unmasked on his face.

_'I-I just killed someone! A civilian-! **A child!**'_

Doubling over, Lampo began hyperventilating, bile rising in his throat. His body shook uncontrollably, hysteria gripping him hard and throwing his thoughts into a storm of a chaos, knocking down him to his knees.

Amidst all the discord within him, he hardly had time to realize the flow of green electricity leaking from his fingers into the ground and towards the boy's body. Head snapping upwards, he saw emerald green flames engulf the boy, electricity running up and down the body in an erratic and hasty fashion.

Lampo watched, stunned and confused before common sense regained control and he immediately cut off the waves of energy that discharged from his fingers. The emerald green flames that had encased the boy began to ebb away until only remnants of weak electricity surrounded the boy, before disappearing completely.

Then he saw it.

The boy's finger twitched.

Twitching.

Twitching meant control, and control meant body, and body signified life which meant that-

The boy was still alive.

Despite himself, Lampo grinned, relief pouring over him in a colossal wave, and quickly fumbling to his feet, he picked up the boy's pale wrist, searching for a sign of life.

Then, as light as a butterfly's wing beat, he felt it.

A pulse, and tiny as it was, it meant life; it meant that the boy was still _alive._ Hope planted itself within him, threatening to burst into a whoop of joy.

But the fact remained that the boy was still injured; and his injuries were severe enough to cause death, if not treated. Determined, Lampo carefully gathered the boy into his arms and sped off, ignoring the calls of his comrades who watched in awe as the greenhead ran, and kept running towards the Vongola Mansion, not pausing to answer a call or even hesitate as he jumped over carcasses.

And as he ran, the brown-haired boy limp in Lampo's arms, an ominous feeling settled within him, and he knew that the moment he would arrive at base, that everything would change; for better or for worse, the brunette he carried would forever be intertwined in his life, and in the life of the Vongola Family.

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><p>"Lampo did <em>what<em>?"

G grunted, hands shoved deep into his pockets, eyebrows furrowed in affirmation.

"He came in half-crazed, carrying some bloody kid, and immediately demanded for Knuckles. When he finally calmed down, he told me that they were pursuing some intruders and he _'accidentally'_ attacked the boy who, apparently was being chased, as the others tell me."

The red-head ignored the look of utter disbelief on his boss's face, opting to reach into his pocket and light a cigarette, only to have it be pinned to the nearby wall by a dart. Scowling, he turned to the culprit, who stood leaning against the wall, twirling his staff divertingly.

"What the hell was that for?"

Daemon smirked, pausing to stop twirling his weapon, and shrugged, "Don't you know it's rude to smoke in one's personal space?" And for effect his jutted his chin towards Giotto, whose nose was indeed scrunched, as he gazed distractedly at the pinned cancer stick.

"He's right G," the blonde murmured, "You are free to smoke anywhere but whilst in my office; you know that."

The redhead growled his irritation, choosing to send a glare at the Mist Guardian who gave an innocent smile in return.

"What of the boy? Is he alive?"

Turning his attention back to the blonde, G paused thoughtfully before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know. I left as soon as Knuckles had arrived to bring the boy to the infirmary. As far as I know the kid was barely breathing."

Bowing his head, eyebrows knit together in concentration, Giotto stayed silent, sitting on the edge of his desk. Daemon and G waited patiently, watching the blonde for any reaction or order. Minutes passed as the Vongola boss organized his thoughts, gripping the edge of his desk tightly.

"All right," Looking up, he met the curious stares of his comrades, eyes gleaming with a new determination, "Daemon, I want you to retrieve intruders' bodies and find as much as you can about them. I need you to start immediately."

Releasing an annoyed huff, the illusionist disappeared into a billow of indigo mist, grumbling,

"Why is does it seem that I always get stuck cleaing up?"

Ignoring him, Giotto turned to face his Storm Guardian, who stood quiet, waiting for an order.

"G, you're with me. I want to check up on the boy, and find out his side of the story."

The redhead cocked an eyebrow in surprise, "You realize I could always do that; you don't need to go through so much trouble to check up on some kid."

The blonde shook his head, "He got injured on Vongola territory; I should at least visit him and apologize. After all," he turned his head to the side, gaze lingering on a picture frame positioned above the cigarette that had yet to fall, "his family must be worried to death," he finished softly, eyes narrowed fondly.

And without another word, the two made their way to the infirmary.

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><p>~Legami Trascendo di Tempo~<p>

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><p>Lampo stood, waiting in front of the door anxiously. Behind him, he heard the soft chatter of nurses, as they watched in curiosity as he tapped his foot continually in obvious distress. Heart pounding, Lampo stared at the mahogany door that stood between him and everything he wanted to know; it was in his distress did he realize that he could have taken a car instead of running like a madman all the way to the mansion.<p>

_'Hindsight is a wonderful thing,'_ he mused bitterly.

"Lampo."

The familiar voice made his heart stop for a split-second; and hesitantly he turned to face the very man he'd been hoping to avoid a confrontation with.

Giotto stared at him expectantly, patient as ever, fixing the greenhead with calm, tangelo eyes, mouth set in a straight line. Mouth going dry, Lampo licked his lips nervously, blood turning cold as he stammered his explanation.

"I-I-I'm sorry- I never meant to- It was an accident! Please don't take away my ring!" And before the blonde could reply, Lampo turned to run in the opposite direction only to be stopped by G who stood, towering over him with a raised eyebrow.

Clenching his fists, the greenhead gulped, and turned to his boss, eyes closed, as he waited for retribution.

"Lampo," Giotto began softly, "Lampo look at me."

When he refused, shaking his head adamantly, Giotto placed a hand on his trembling shoulder, watching in concern as the greenhead flinched, obviously expecting harsher treatment.

"Lampo, I'm not going to take away your ring."

Electric green eyes snapped wide open, and mouth gaping, Lampo met Giotto's kind expresion, confused and relieved.

"You're not?"

A nod from the blonde had Lampo's heart burst with joy, and he couldn't help the sob of relief that escaped him. Looking down, he gazed at his ring, the jewel shining, almost knowingly. He would never admit it, but the ring and his position were the only two things that Lampo had worked hard for; and he'd be damned if he was going to let them be taken away.

"Just tell me what happened." The blonde spoke softly, as if knowing the cause of Lampo's apprehension; which he did, of course, but he wasn't cruel enough to let the teen know. Slumping down onto a nearby chair, Lampo rested his forearms on his thighs, a shaky sigh escaping him.

Swallowing, he cleared his throat and began the story.

Minutes passed, a time during which Lampo saw both Giotto's and G's expression change continuously, from shock to a variety of other emotions, as he disclosed the events that landed him where he was now, in a chair, fearful for his victim's life.

"And then I brought him to Knuckles, and now," electric green eyes rested on the door in front of him, "I'm waiting to see if he's okay..."

The two remained silent, and fear began to creep into Lampo, as he waited anxiously for a reaction.

G gave his first.

"Of course, the one time you manage to release your attack correctly, it hits the wrong person. A kid no less." The redhead's tone was clipped and sharp, and it hit Lamp like a punch to the gut.

Lampo flinched, bowing his head in shame. It was too true; _Scagliare Fulmine_ was one of Lampo's most powerful, as well as risky, moves, that most of the time, he failed to summon at all due to the sheer power the move possessed. He had acted out of pure panic, seeing the intruder dart straight for him, and released the attack, not realizing the man had already been taken down; and before he knew it, the boy had received the barrage of flames, in place of his pursuer.

"G..." The stern address came from Giotto, who pinned the redhead with a firm glare, a warning underlying the blonde's tone.

G huffed but his glare on the teen softened, garnet red eyes narrowing slightly in sympathy. Suddenly, the door opened, startling Lampo who jumped to his feet instantly as Knuckles stepped out, face gaunt and grim.

"Knuckles," Giotto faced the frowning boxer, "how is the boy?"

Knuckles stayed silent, before letting out a sigh, and quietly, answered.

"He's alive," and almost simultaneously, the three men released a sigh of relief, "however, his injuries were critical and he needs rest. I've injected as much of my flames as his body was able to handle to help him recover faster but the next few days are crucial, so I'm putting him on watch. "

"Is he awake?"

Knuckles peered at the blonde, and nodded mutely.

"Would it be all right if I talked to him?"

Fixing his boss with an acute stare, the boxer nodded again. "As long as the visit is short, and you don't ask anything too intruding; keep the questions simple and short." And with a frown, Knuckles walked away, abruptly cutting the conversation.

"Geez, what's with him?" Lampo grumbled, "I wanted to ask more questions..."

Giotto exchanged a glance with G, and with a curt nod, the redhead grabbed Lampo by the collar, and dragged him in the direction that their fellow Sun Guardian had headed in.

Giotto watched, his mouth twitching upwards, as the greenhead tried escaping the Storm Guardian's grip, letting out cries of protest, all to no avail, only managing to get the redhead to silence him with a smack to the head.

He watched them disappear into another hallway, before turning his attention to the door in front of him. Gripping the handle, Giotto closed his eyes and released a deep sigh, and with a resolute grunt, entered the room.

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><p>The first thing Giotto did as he stepped in the room, was wince.<p>

Knuckles had been sugar coating the extent of the boy's wounds; the brown-haired child lay in bed, covered in gauze and bandages, blinking dazedly at the ceiling, moaning ever so softly in pain.

Making his way to the boy, the blonde steeled his nerves and pulled a chair next to the bed. The brunette turned to face Giotto, and the blonde smiled gently at him.

"Hello," he began softly.

The boy blinked, before replying uncertainly, "_K-konnichiwa_." he mumbled.

Japanese. The boy was Japanese.

Immediately switching languages, Giotto continued, "How are you feeling?"

"Everything hurts," the boy whimpered. Giotto smiled sadly and grabbed the boy's hand, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles soothingly.

"I know, but don't worry, you'll feel better soon," the blonde assured and he felt a pang of guilt at his white lie. He had been in the exact situation the boy was in, and he knew from experience, that the brunette was going to have to face more pain before truly feeling better.

"Can you tell me your name?"

The brunette stared at his hand in fascination, "Tsuna," he mumbled.

"How old are you Tsuna?"

Blinking, the brunette raised six fingers. Giotto couldn't help but grin; the boy was too cute.

"Okay," Squeezing the brunette's hand gently, the blonde smiled, "Do you know where your family is?"

The boy lifted his head and looked at the Vongola Boss, eyes dull. "No."

The smile on Giotto's face began to fade, and a sinking feeling settled within him, but he continued, undeterred.

"Do you know your parents' names?"

Tsuna shook his head.

The smile was gone.

"Tsuna, do you know your last name?"

The brunette's eyes were filled with hopelessness, and he shook his head again, lip trembling.

Giotto's voice grew low and raucous, "Can you tell me anything at all about you or your family?"

The boy let out a shaky sigh, and hoarsely, he whispered,

"I don't know."

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><p>F. Nadeshiko- Ohoho, didn't expect that did ya? Kidding, you probably saw it coming -_-<p>

A few things; this story is going to be... a little different from the common 'Tsuna goes back in time to meet the first generation' story.

I thought it was kinda cool to have Lampo unknowingly revive Tsuna with his lightning flames; y'know like an electric-flame defibrillator~! :D Also, Tsuna losing his memories holds a very important part in the story... Only time will tell, what it unveils...

And the last thing, for those of you who like Avatar: The Last Airbender, and now, The Legend of Korra, I'm thinking of starting a new story. Give me some feedback on that idea, and I'll post the summary in the next chapter.

Review, criticize, please give me _some_ kind of feedback; I need to improve my writing and every time, I reread my work... I cringe at how pathetic it is...

Anyways, that's all~ Bye-bye


	4. Chapter 3: Missing

Nadeshiko F: I have come across a revolutionary realization:

In every story I've read containing Knuckles, he has always been a _priest_. So, just to shake things up a bit, in this story, he won't be one—at least not yet. I've already planned his journey to priesthood, but we're not there yet, and I'm getting ahead of myself yet again. So, for now, he will be a boxer, and somewhat of a doctor (understandable as he does heal people with his flames). One more thing: I've found out that one generation is twenty-five years, so ten generations would be about 250 years, give or take; thus, it seems that the Primo family didn't live in the 1600's after all (not that I believed it in the first place; the Mafia started in the 1800's, right around the time my theory revolves around).

Disclaimer—Obviously I don't own KHR, or I'd already have season 9 being planned.

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><p>"G, slow down!"<p>

The cry came from a half conscious Lampo as he was mercilessly dragged down the hall by an irritated redhead, who only ignored the greenhead's pleas, and increased his pace.

"G—I'm begging you—I'm choking—_help_!"

Only when Lampo began to turn an unruly shade of blue did the Storm Guardian release him—watching in faint annoyance as the greenhead fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Grunting, G turned and walked away, leaving the greenhead on the floor, who watched in shock, before scrambling to his feet and stumbling to catch up to the redhead.

To his relief, G slowed down, until the two walked side-by-side in a matching pace. Looking up through the corner of his eyes, Lampo saw the scowl on G's face and the determination gleaming in his ruby red eyes; which only served to confuse the teen even more.

"So..." he began hesitantly, "why are we hunting for Knuckles again?"

G stayed quiet, as if thinking, then with a shrug, growled,

"Because I want him to teach me how to catch a butterfly."

Lampo blinked. He didn't even know Knuckles spent his time chasing after the two-winged insects.

"Oh... that's nice."

Abruptly halting to a stop, G, stared skeptically at the greenhead who had also stopped in his stride to face the redhead.

Lampo gulped, "What?"

G inhaled deeply, before focusing angry ruby red eyes at the teen.

"Lampo," he snarled, "Do you really think I'd be chasing after that boxing-idiot just to ask how to catch _butterflies_?"

Lampo bit his lip.

"...Yes?"

And thus, Lampo found himself passing out from the force that came slamming down on his head—courtesy of G's fist, _as always—_watching dazedly as the redhead unceremoniously threw him over his shoulder, as giggling maids passed by, ever so gleeful at Lampo's misery.

In hindsight, Lampo shouldn't have expected G to chase butterflies.

The redhead was always more of a dragonfly kind of guy, anyways.

Losing his memories was both a blessing and a nuisance for Tsuna; on one hand, he felt relaxed, his mind literally _empty_ of thoughts. On the other hand, it was as if his mind was an endless blank canvas, previously painted with a myriad of colors that had been his memories, now white and eagerly waiting to be filled with new ones. It was as annoying as it was calming.

The only problem was, Tsuna's memories so far, had been far from pleasant. Thanks to the nice man's medicine, the pain within his body had diminished to an echoing ache, occasional flares of intense pain wracking his small body; but it was never too much for him to handle—it was as if he was used to such things.

Tsuna winced at the sudden thought; he didn't want to recover his memories if they held nothing but pain for him. It was enough that his new memories so far were miserable.

_'Still...' _Grunting with effort, Tsuna tried grasping within his mind for his memories—only to feel that annoying void take over and push him out. Faintly, though, he could recall that the nice mad told him that might never be able to recover his memories due to the severity of his wounds; interestingly enough, Tsuna seemed fine with it.

The chance to begin a new life and start anew; it was all too tempting for him.

_'The only thing is,' _Tsuna mused, _'where I'll begin my new life—and more importantly, who'll I'll be spending it with.'_

Knuckles knew he shouldn't have had walked away from Giotto like that; he could feel their puzzled stares as they watched him stalk off, but he just couldn't help it. Discomfort squirmed in his stomach, and the boxer mused on how he would handle the situation.

It was something he had noticed as he had been treating the little boy—Tsuna—and it had Knuckles freezing in shock and unable to answer his boss's inquiries. It wasn't that Tsuna had managed to stay alive when any other six-year old boy would have died from the extent of his injuries, no, it was the _resemblance._

Knuckles was well aware that he might have been over reacting just a _tiny_ bit—it wouldn't have been the first time either, but the information was just too much to handle.

Which was why Knuckles found himself pacing back and forth in the garden, trampling over the grass and some of Elena's beloved flowers (no doubt getting himself an earful once she found out) in his thought-provoking pace.

_'Perhaps, they will believe me,'_ Knuckles's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, not at all noticing the cries of a whimpering Lampo or the calls of an irritated G, nonplussed by the boxer's lack of response.

_'Then again—'_ Knuckles screeched to a halt as he found himself face to face with ruby red glare from G. He blinked, before his eyes trailed down to Lampo who was cowering at the redhead's feet sending Knuckles a pitiful look.

Silence ensued

Growing increasingly tense at the lack of conversation, Knuckles found himself confused by his trembling. G seemed to notice too for he raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Hey, are you okay—?"

"IthinkTsunaisGiotto'sson!" Knuckles suddenly blurted out loud, and the boxer gasped in shock, clapping his hands to his mouth, eyes wide with shock.

G and Lampo slowly exchanged glances.

"You think who is whose son?" Lampo's voice was laced with skepticism. Biting his lower lip, Knuckles hesitantly repeated himself.

"I said, I think Tsuna is Giotto's son." Knuckles waited for the impending bursts of laughter he had learned to expect from G and Lampo, but only found them staring at him in confusion.

"Who's Tsuna?" G's question had Knuckles internally berating himself for not clarifying the little boy's identity, and the boxer quickly explained, "Tsuna is the little boy that Lampo saved."

"So that's his name," Lampo murmured, electric green eyes focusing as he hardwired the name into his brain.

"...And you think that he's Giotto's son?" G's statement, though stated indifferently, clearly expressed the disbelief that the redhead held. Knuckles nodded, palms growing sweaty, as he watched the two exchange glances.

Then a snicker.

And before he could blink, both men were holding their stomachs, peals of laughter echoing through out the garden. Knuckles's cheeks reddened, and he coughed repeatedly.

Before long, the two guardians' laughter died down, and both sighed, wiping away imaginary tears of delight from the corner of their eyes.

Knuckles scowled at them, "Finished?" Lampo grinned and nodded, eyes glowing with mirth.

"Come on, Knuckles do you really think that out of all people, _Giotto_ would be the one to have a child? I mean he flinches whenever a girl even _looks_ his way."

"Yeah," Lampo echoed, "If it was G or Daemon you were talking about, then I wouldn't be surprised at all; but Giotto? I mean, I'd be less surprised if Asari had a kid, and he's just as bad as—"

"Hold on a minute," G turned to face Lampo, eyes narrowed, "what do you mean you wouldn't be surprised if I had a kid? What do you think I do in my spare time? Frolic around brothels?"

Lampo blinked, "I'm not saying you do, just that I wouldn't be surprised if you did."

"What are you trying to imply, brat—"

"Guys, guys come on!" Knuckles intervened, hands stretched out, "I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't serious about it."

G and Lampo paused, before the former of the two conceded, "Alright, let's see the kid first before we make any more theories. If you're right, Knuckles, then we could have a serious problem on our hands."

Knuckles looked relieved, and without another word, he led them to the room. The three stepped into a sunlit room, where Tsuna lay sleeping in bed. Knuckles nodded to a nurse stationed there, who stepped out of the room.

With a sigh, the boxer took a seat in a nearby chair, fingers massaging his temples. Now calm, Knuckles was able to register the growing amount of exhausting piling on him, but he ignored it, choosing to watch his companions scrutinize his patient instead.

Everything was quiet, before a begrudging sigh escaped G, "Fine. I admit, the kid does resemble Giotto." he said shortly. Lampo made a noise of agreement, eyes staring intently at Tsuna's bandaged body, guilt evident in them.

"You see?" Knuckles said quietly, "I don't know how to approach this with Giotto. Or whether I should at all."

G shook his head, "Don't. At least not yet. Let's make certain first whether—Tsuna was it?—is related to Giotto. There's no way this could be a coincidence, but it doesn't mean that this kid is Giotto's son. For all we know, he could a cousin or something."

"So should we contact Alaude?" Lampo offered thoughtfully, "He'd be able to get all the information we need easily."

G grunted, eyes misty with thought, "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll go find him right now."

Knuckles and Lampo watched the redhead close the door behind him softly as he made his exit, before everything settled into a grim silence.

"Are we really gonna do this?" Lampo asked suddenly, "Go behind Giotto's back I mean. We could just ask him."

Knuckles rested his head on clasped hands. "I don't know," he admitted, "If we did ask Giotto, he could lie then we'd still get nowhere." Tired, dark eyes settled on the little brown-haired boy lying in bed, his tiny hands grasping the bedsheets tightly.

"Besides, we have to think of how this will affect Tsuna too; not just Giotto."

Knuckles didn't say anything more and just rubbed his face, shoulders sagged, looking exhausted and careworn.

Lampo felt a twinge of guilt for helping cause some of the boxer's burden and in an attempt to help alleviate it, he offered good-naturedly, "You know, G said that you spend time catching butterflies; if you like, you can teach me how to do that."

* * *

><p>Daemon grimaced as the familiar, tangy scent of blood pervaded his senses. In front of him, bodies lay strewn around the forest floor, unmoving, and stained with a brilliant red. Beneath his boots, leaves and twigs crunched as he knelt by one body belonging to a man with a scar across his left eye, and a mouth open revealing chipped, yellow teeth.<p>

Carefully, Daemon lifted the man's stiff arm, pushing the sleeve upward to the elbow, and gingerly twisting the man's wrist, to find a tattoo.

A tattoo of snake curled around a rifle.

Daemon cocked an eyebrow in surprise. _'Well, this isn't this interesting?' _Indigo eyes trailed upwards to see more bodies, and a frown slowly came upon his face.

"I better check everyone in case," He murmured to himself, absentmindedly releasing mist flames that snaked around the forest creating a perimeter; at least then, civilians wouldn't see him or the bodies. His eyes fell to the scarred, dead man at his feet; blood trickled down his chin, and the scent of death slowly became more noticeable as time passed.

_'Because if my suspicions are right, then we could have a serious problem on our hands.' _He thought grimly.

* * *

><p>"Alaude!"<p>

The head of the CEDEF, turned his head slightly to see G walk up to him, hands deep in his pockets, eyebrows furrowed, and his jaw set; an obvious sign of his dilemma. Curiosity got the better of the Cloud Guardian and he stopped, and with a blank face, waited for his redheaded companion to speak.

G paused at first, shifting from one foot to another, before meeting Alaude's gaze with hard, ruby red eyes; now this was getting interesting.

"I need to ask you a favor." The redhead mumbled quietly, and if his lack of volume hadn't surprised Alaude, then it was the request that did.

It was a well-known fact, that each of the Guardians were proud; extremely so, but G was a different case. He was the boss's right-hand man, a title he flaunted frequently, but a title he deserved none the less—and a condition that came with G's pride was that he never asked for help. _Never_. Even if the man had broken both legs, he would never rely on someone else to walk; he'd do it out of sheer will.

Which is why it had been such a shock to hear the proud G reduce himself to asking someone for a favor—and to Alaude of all people. If Alaude had been anyone else, namely one of the other idiotic Guardians, his jaw would have fallen, and he'd be fretting over the redhead's state of health.

But he wasn't. He was Alaude, head of Interpol as well as of the CEDEF, and a fellow Guardian. He would not be reduced to a simpering idiot, as anyone else would have.

So, he kept his face blank, but allowed himself to raise an eyebrow, and in a toneless voice, asked, "...what is it? And why me?"

"Because you're the best in these kinds of situations."

If it was possible, Alaude's eyebrow rose even higher, "Oh? You're admitting my supremacy; something I believed would never happen."

G's cheeks reddened, and a spark of fury glinted in his eyes, but he calmly gritted out, "Yes. Because what I have to ask for is important."

"Then state it. I have better things to do." That was the truth, but Alaude was relishing every second of this—not that he'd ever admit it. Alaude, as antisocial and aloof as he was, was just as proud as the rest of the Guardians.

"I need you to find information on Giotto."

Alaude narrowed his eyes, "What kind?"

"I need you to see whether—whether he had a lover... and if she became pregnant, and ended up giving birth... to his son."

Incredulity replaced the blank look on Alaude's face, "...You think that that idiot has a child?"

G grimaced at the insult, but nodded shortly, "Yes."

"...Is this some kid of joke?"

"No. Look, I didn't believe it at first either, but then Knuckles brought me to see the kid that Lampo accidentally attacked, and as much as I hate to admit it, the boy does hold some resemblance to Giotto."

"That doesn't mean that he's his child. It could be a coincidence."

"If it was, how do you explain the fact that he was on Vongola territory? And that he was being chased by some men? If the kid really is Giotto's son, then it would make sense why he was being chased—the amount of leverage they would have by kidnapping the Boss of the Vongola Family's son would be incredible." The unconvinced look on Alaude's face made G pause before he said quietly, "And you know I wouldn't be asking you this if I didn't think it was important."

He had him there. Alaude closed his eyes, before turning and walking away.

Frustration began to build up within G, "Alaude!" The Cloud Guardian didn't stop. "Can I count on you?"

The redhead watched, tense, as the blonde stopped and gave a short nod.

"I'll have your information within a week."

No more words were said, and the Cloud Guardian slipped into the shadows, and disappeared.

* * *

><p>Giotto sighed, and he plopped down in his chair, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.<p>

"Things are getting nowhere..." he mumbled. Questions and theories ran through his head, and a headache slowly began to form. As if the tense negotiations with the Fedeltà Familigia wasn't enough, Giotto now had to deal with a six year old amnesiac, whose family was probably going insane looking for him; and he had no leads whatsoever.

He scowled at himself. He made Tsuna's situation sound like a bother—which it wasn't in the slightest. He had started the Vongola to help people, and Giotto intended to carry its purpose out until his death; which was a long way off... hopefully.

'_Still..._' he thought uncertainly, '_how can I find this boy's family—if he even has one that is, when I all I know is next to nothing._'

Dazed sunset orange eyes found themselves staring at a bottle of alchohol in the corner of the room.

'..._A glass of wine sounds pretty good right now._'

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><p>Reborn swore angrily.<p>

He was gone for one night—one _fucking _night—and he came back to a hysterical Nana, crying over the disappearance of her son; true to her word, Tsuna was nowhere to be found in the surrounding vicinity. Bianchi had informed him, however, of the injuries his idiotic student had come home with, and it was fairly easy to find the bullies that had caused them; interestingly enough, after interrogating them quite thoroughly, they all replied with the same answer: Dame-Tsuna hadn't come to school the next day or sought them out the day he had been bullied. Reborn didn't even want to imagine dealing with his student's guardians when they found out.

Reborn was going to kill him. He was going to utilize every method of torture that existed on his idiotic student, and ensure that he suffered while the hit man watched in sadistic glee.

'_Oh, the things I could do.._.' Reborn thought with a smirk. He growled in irritation, ignoring the uneasy look Fuuta directed at him as he passed by. Stepping into Tsuna's room, beady black eyes scanned the room—and found nothing out of place, save for the bed's messy state. The bed was unmade, the sheets ruffled; it was obvious that his stupid student had been asleep.

To the corner of the room, beams of sunlight penetrated the window. Reborn hopped there silently, onyx eyes peering closely at the window sill. Dust painted a thorough coat on the window sill as well as on the sides; it hadn't been opened in a while.

'_Which means_,' he deduced, '_he didn't leave through the window; and there are no signs of forced entry so he wasn't taken._'

It was as if Tsuna had... _disappeared_ into thin air. Reborn stalked over to the desk, roughly pulling out a drawer.

Damn. The ring was gone too. He was left with no choice.

Reborn grimaced. Discomfort wriggled in the pit of the stomach, but he refused to acknowledge it, and jumped onto Tsuna's desk. Leon crawled into his hand and transformed into a gun, and without wasting a minute, the Sun Arcobaleno aimed at the clock hung above him and pulled the trigger.

A shot rang out and the clock fell, landing in Reborn's hands smoothly. His hands worked swiftly, deftly removing the cracked plastic surface of the clock, and reaching into the center, between the clock's hands, to pull out a tiny, black device with lens.

A camera.

When the Varia had first appeared in Namimori, Reborn had installed the camera in case they decided to take the liberty of killing his student while Reborn was away. Fortunately, that hadn't been the case, but the assassin had seen no reason to take the camera down, as a precaution.

It seemed he had been right.

Reborn cleanly popped the device open, gingerly taking the chip inside and placing it into Leon, who now, took the form of a video camera. He waited, and the first images appeared, but with a click, the video sped up to last night's events. And what he saw, almost made him drop the camera.

'_What the hell—?!_'

Reborn shut the camera off, taking the chip out and holding it tightly in his hand. Leon crawled back onto his fedora, watching with curious eyes at his master's shaking grip on the chip. His knuckles cracked but he didn't care.

"Tsuna," he growled, "when I find you, I'm going to kick your fucking _ass_."

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><p>Nadeshiko F.—And that's all for know. Check out my other story, <em>Living On<em>, and I promise not to take so long next time. This chapter was just particularly hard to write, but don't worry, from here on out, updates won't take months to come.

I got close to thirty reviews in the first chapter. Let's try and beat that for this one hmm?


	5. Chapter 4: A Walk in Town

Nadeshiko F: I'm going shut up and just let you read the story; one thing however, I would like to point that even though Tsuna's physically six, he possesses the mental capabilities of a fourteen year old. So, he'll be a bit of a genius. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Akira Amano owns Reborn; not me.

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><p>"There has to be something you can tell me."<p>

Irie Shoichi shifted from one foot to another, twiddling his thumbs nervously, "Like I said, we can't tell you anything that you don't already know—"

"One minute, my student is engulfed in a mass of flames, and the next he's gone." Reborn's eyes glinted dangerously at the redhead, and Shoichi suddenly felt faint.

"Can't you at least identify the flames?"

"There's no need," Spanner strode easily towards the two, hands in his pockets, "Anyone can see that they were sky flames. What we can tell you is that they were of a very high quality; possibly the purest flames we've seen yet. And since normal rings can't produce that kind of efficiency, only—"

"The Vongola Ring could have done so." Reborn grunted. Leon crawled down from his fedora onto his shoulder, and the hit man absent-mindedly scratched underneath the lizard's chin, eliciting a satisfied squeak.

"I have to report this to the Ninth; in the meantime, try to find out more."

Reborn stalked away, and Shoichi visibly relaxed. The redhead released a shaky breath, and Spanner patted his back comfortingly.

"Oh and one more thing,"

Spanner and Shoichi looked up, wary but curious.

"Keep a lid on this; don't tell anyone—especially Dame-Tsuna's guardians."

Under his breath, Reborn muttered, "Heaven knows how they'd react to their beloved Tenth missing."

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><p>The blonde man was weird. And he talked a lot.<p>

That was all Tsuna kept thinking as he watched the man babble on and on.

'_I thought adults were supposed to be quiet.'_ Tsuna frowned, and narrowed his eyes. This was the ninth time in five days that the man—or as he insisted Tsuna call him, Giotto—had visited him. The first few times, he hadn't as minded as much because he knew that Giotto-san was only trying to cheer him up.

But then he came again and again, and if he had to be honest, he was really getting annoyed. Tsuna was six; but the way Giotto treated him, it as if he was two.

Tsuna was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the blonde stop talking (finally) and wave a hand to get his attention.

"Tsuna-san?"

"Oh—I'm sorry, I was just thinking." Tsuna murmured; his hands clenched and unclenched the bed sheets repeatedly.

Giotto smiled, "It's fine. I was just asking whether you wanted to go out into town with me. I usually walk around once a week, and I was wondering if you'd like to join me."

Tsuna's eyes lit up and he vigorously nodded.

"Great! I have to go finish some paperwork, but I'll come back in an hour, and we'll go. All right?"

Tsuna smiled brightly, and as he watched the blonde wave goodbye, he couldn't help but think, '_Maybe things won't be so bad after all_.'

True to his word, Giotto came back an hour later, where Tsuna was waiting eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. This was the first time he had left his room since he had come here and the child inside of him couldn't wait to go out and see—well everything.

They walked to the town, and instead of remaining quiet as he usually did, Tsuna carried a conversation with Giotto. He could see the blonde's pleasant surprise by the way his smile seemed a little brighter, and his back a bit straighter; his replies were even more animated than usual, and they were sincere—not like the times when Tsuna had been in recovering in his room, and Giotto's tone though cheerful, was fake.

"_Buongiorno, Signore Giotto_!"

Tsuna's conversation with the blonde was interrupted, and a dark-haired man approached them and heartily greeted Tsuna's companion.

Giotto smiled and replied to the man's greeting with an enthusiastic answer of his own, "_Buongiorno Stefan!_"

As Stefan drew closer, Tsuna began to see the man more clearly; he was short with a stocky build, and a mustache that curled at the ends. He was grinning, eyes crinkled with fondness, and by the expression on Giotto-san's face, it was evident that the two were good friends.

Suddenly feeling very shy, Tsuna hid behind Giotto, who only smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Stefan took note of him, despite his efforts, and with a kind smile directed at him, he said, "_Beh, chi è questo ragazzo_?"

Tsuna only stared back blankly at the man. Giotto chuckled and said something in Italian; he watched as Stefan's thick black eyebrows were raised, and grabbing Tsuna's tiny hands in his own large, calloused ones, he shook them fervently.

"_Buongiorno Tsuna!_" Stefan raised his voice, as though it help Tsuna understand him, and when he finally released his hands, Tsuna noticed that they were covered with dough. Brown eyes widened in curiosity as the man pulled out a bag, and opening it, Stefan pulled out a food of some sort.

It had a tube-shaped shell made out of fried dough and a creamy filling overflowed at the ends; Stefan held it out to him, and hesitantly, Tsuna shuffled forward and accepted it. Watched by Stefan's expectant eyes, Tsuna tentatively took a bite and his eyes widened at the sweet, crunchy sensation that melted in his mouth; he quickly devoured the remaining parts and was licking his fingers when he heard both Stefan and Giotto laugh.

His cheeks flushed, and he wiped the edges of his mouth with the back of his hand. Stefan only grinned at him, and he turned to leave, "_Lui èun angelo, Giotto. Ribaltare dalla panetteria e lui ha più dove che è venuto da." _

Giotto smiled and waved good-bye, "_Faremo in modo di farlo!_"

Waving shyly at the baker, Tsuna watched him fade into the distance before some gentle prodding from Giotto caused him to continue on with their walk. Soon enough, the town came into view and more and more people stopped to greet Giotto, as well as meet Tsuna. A woman had stopped them and insisted that Tsuna visit her so he could meet her daughter; a man had actually lifted him onto his shoulders and make him promise to stop by his toy shop so he could have his pick.

The people were kind, kinder than anyone Tsuna was sure he had ever met, both in his life before he had lost his memories and after; it brought a feeling to Tsuna that made his head spin with joy. A storm of sights and smells pervaded his senses, and the smile on his face only grew with each passing moment; out of the corner of his eye, he could see the knowing gleam in Giotto's eye.

Tsuna had never been at such ease before; perhaps it was because he had no recollection of his previous life, but there was a lightness within him as he skipped from place to place and before either of them knew it, three hours had gone by and they found themselves standing in front of Stefan's bakery, who was gesturing enthusiastically from within the store.

"_Vieni, vieni! Accomodatevi!_"

With one big sweep of his arm, Stefan motioned for them to come inside, and Tsuna did so happily, taking a seat at one of the wooden booths. Across from him, Giotto slid into his seat, and Stefan disappeared into another room, only to bring out a tray of assorted desserts and snacks moments later. Tsuna twitched with excitement; he stuffed snack after snack into his mouth, his head dizzy with the fluffy, sweet taste.

A gentle admonishment from Giotto to slow down had Tsuna more mindful of his manners, and with a sheepish smile at the blonde, he chewed more slowly, savoring the taste of each dish. By the time he had finished, his limbs grew stiff, and a lazy but content feeling settled within him, when the door opened and a father and his son walked in, taking a seat at the adjacent booth.

Tsuna watched them interact with interest; the father hoisted his son up onto his shoulders with a smile, the young boy's peals of laughter permeating throughout the store. An empty feeling settled within Tsuna's chest, and the happiness he had felt before transformed into a sharp bitterness, one that wiped the smile off his face. He continued watching them, unaware that Giotto was gauging his reactions.

The blonde eyed the forlorn look on the boy's face, concern and curiosity sprouting within him.

"Tsuna-san?" The boy turned to look at Giotto, head cocked to the side, "Are you all right?"

Tsuna opened his mouth to speak—only for his eyes to catch the father and son near them, laughing, and a strange sadness weighed him down. Moments passed, and he realized he had yet to answer Giotto-san's question; but the blonde waited patiently, observing his reactions quietly.

"Do you miss your parents?" He asked softly.

Tsuna shook his head. "How can you miss someone who you don't remember?" He bit his lip, "It's just watching that family, you would think that I'd feel reminiscent of any memories I would have had with my father, if I even had one to begin with. But that's the thing; I don't feel anything. At least, not anything happy."

Giotto was silent, choosing to gaze at Tsuna thoughtfully rather than speak. The boy shrank under the blonde's intense look, flushing heavily at his boldness. The silence became almost unbearable and Tsuna shifted uncomfortably in his seat, ready to apologize when Giotto spoke.

"I know how you feel," Giotto's gaze softened considerably, "my father—he wasn't the kindest man. In fact, I have very few memories where I was relaxed or happy in his presence. But, nonetheless, he was a good man, and I know that. He just wasn't a good father." Giotto sighed, and his gaze fell to his lap, "Luckily, I had other father figures in my life but there are moments. Moments that I wish that my father and I could have had what other children and their fathers had, and I find myself regretting what had happened to us because I know that if the both of us—not just him—had put in a little more effort to spend time together and bond, perhaps he could have died knowing his son truly loved him."

Tsuna watched the blonde, eyes wide with awe. Giotto smiled at him, "Tsuna, I promise that I will find your parents." To his surprise, the little boy shook his head adamantly.

"I don't think finding them will change anything Giotto-san. I think—I think that it's too late to repair my relationship with my father."

"I disagree."

Tsuna eyed the blonde curiously.

"However, it is your life; tell me what you would like for me to do and I'll be glad to do so." Giotto sipped his coffee, its warmth soothing him.

"I don't know what I want." Tsuna shrugged helplessly. "I don't know if I want to be taken in by another family, 'cause then I'd only think that they'd be pitying me."

Giotto raised his eyebrows, "That's quite an extensive vocabulary for a six year-old."

Tsuna smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, these words just keep popping into my head."

Giotto laughed, "No, it's fine. Anyways, I think it's time we return to the manor, it's getting late." He stood, and helped Tsuna down from his seat. They bid good-bye to Stefan who waved heartily in their direction. Within the course of an hour, which they spent conversing with lighter, happier tones, the two arrived the Vongola Manor, which stood proud and gleaming in the sunset.

A guard greeted them cordially, and by the time Tsuna had returned to his room, night had fallen, and a gentle breeze swept through the window, cooling the room. He dove into the bed, curling himself around the sheets, watching as Giotto turned off the lamps in his room, before striding towards the door.

"Goodnight, Tsuna." The blonde smiled at him one final time, and shut the door, with a gentle thud sounding.

Tsuna smiled himself before diving under the blanket, content settling within him.

'_I wouldn't mind staying here for a while._'

* * *

><p>Giotto shut the door softly, hand lingering on the doorknob. "No one should have to go through what you're going through Tsuna, let alone a child," he murmured to himself. Fists tightened and gold-orange eyes gleamed with resolution.<p>

"I promise, Tsuna. I will help you."

* * *

><p>Nadeshiko F: This is so short and I know it, and you may not want my apology, but I am so sorry—I promise that next chapter is going to be four-thousand words or more. I'm trying desperately to lengthen my chapters and no matter how sporadic my updates are, I assure you that I haven't given up on this story or anything other of my stories.<p>

Now onto other matters, as you can see, this story is quite close to achieving a hundred reviews (to which I am eternally grateful to you guys for), and I thought it would be interesting to do something special. As you can see, the cover image for this story isn't exactly—err, what are the words—inspiring (well, to me it isn't—and I designed it).

**So, the hundredth reviewer gets to design their very own cover image for this story.**** I will notify that reviewer through their fanfiction account (if they have one) and if they don't, then in my next update, I'll notify them in one of my author notes. Of course, the cover image should be appropriate. **

Once again, I thank you all for your support, and hopefully my next update won't take as long.

—Nadeshiko F.


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